IPGC golf from The Haven
Sunday, June 26, Green Valley – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Russell Exley (7) 38pts
2nd Joe McArdle (11) 36pts
3rd Alec Hoare (17) 34pts
4th Mark Armstrong (26) 34pts
Sunday Golf at Green Valley continues to be good value for the weekends when with the use of special vouchers the green fee can be obtained at the same rate as the management currently asks for a weekday competition, and is the reason the group continues to play the course at weekends but not during the week.
Rod Crosswell.
Having recently had a Thailand Junior Amateur competition at the course it is in quite good condition but not so good as to warrant paying double for a green fee compared with similar courses in the area.
Russell Exley took the day’s top spot with a solid two under handicap that ensured he will tee it up for the following week one lower and back to his lowest level, and now expects to continue the trend in the coming weeks.
Joe McArdle slipped into second place with a level handicap round to take with him back to Ireland to where he is returning for a short break away from the stresses of Pattaya, leaving his old chum Alec Hoare to secure third by virtue of a better count-back of 18 to 16 against Mark Armstrong.
Despite the good scores on the day there were no 2’s.
Monday, June 27, Khao Kheow – Stableford
CSS 75 NC
1st Rod Crosswell (14) 33pts
2nd Yasuo Suzuki (11) 32pts
3rd Trevor Schirmer (14) 32pts
4th Shuichi Kodaka (16) 30pts
5th Rodney Hayes (10) 30pts
Russell Exley.
Following heavy overnight rain the course was playable but, with absolutely no run on the fairways, it was extremely difficult to score even though the greens were in tip top condition and the overall appearance excellent.
The scores bore out the degree of difficulty and the day’s event was determined as non-counting for upward review for handicap purposes, with the Competition Standard Scratch moving out to 75.
Rod Crosswell made it a happy au revoir, as he played his last round prior to returning to Australia for a short work break before returning to Pattaya a little later in the year, returning an over par score but with a sufficiently good enough card to claim first place just one ahead of the stumbling pack.
Tom McCarthy.
Yasuo Suzuki held off a determined challenge from Trevor Schirmer winning a count-back with a better 17 to 16, therefore taking second place and leaving Trevor in third.
Shuichi Kodaka was also involved in a count-back for fourth and fifth against Rodney Hayes, which he duly won with a slightly better 15 to 14.
There were no 2’s in the second division but Trevor Schirmer slipped in two, to clean up the first division.
Wednesday, June 29, Phoenix – Monthly Medals
CSS74
Division 1
1st Yasuo Suzuki (11) net 70
2nd Barry Winton (5) net 78
3rd Rodney Hayes (10) net 82
Division 2
1st Tom McCarthy (20) net 71
2nd Rod Howett (23) net 79
3rd Mark Armstrong (26) net 79
Under overcast skies and cooled by a steady breeze throughout the day, conditions for golf could not have been better and allied to a well prepared and nicely manicured Mountain and Ocean courses, playing from the blue tees in the Monthly Medals became almost a pleasure. The only blot on the day was the condition of the greens on the Mountain nine which were well below the usual standard that would normally be expected, and some of the Ocean greens where parts should really have been declared GUR. But all in all it was a very good day for golf and well appreciated by all the competitors.
Yasuo Suzuki.
Yasuo Suzuki, who is definitely having a purple patch, took yet another win to add to his recent haul with an extremely good round of golf that left the rest of the first division floundering in his wake, with the nearest some eight strokes adrift, and taking his first Medal for the year and thus ensuring that he will be contesting the Gold and Silver Medals at the end of the year and in the process recording the best score in the Medals of the year so far.
Barry Winton was strangely off tune during the front nine, the Mountain course, which could have been attributed to the greens, but did well enough over the inward half to push Rodney Hayes into third as Rodney also struggled with the course and an unusually off day with the putter as Barry came in with a strong finish over the closing holes.
The second division was also won with a record score for the year and by the same eight stroke margin by first time medal winner Tom McCarthy, small c big C if you don’t mind, and will go in pride of place next to his Campaign Medal for Afghanistan when he returns to the USA and also gets him into the Gold and Silver competition if he can get the extra time off later in the year.
Rod Howett claimed second place with a better count-back of 33.5 ahead of the seemingly perennial bridesmaid Mark Armstrong, who could only garner 37 coming home.
Allowing for the length that the course played it was unsurprising that there were no 2’s from either division.
Before the presentations there was a welcome back to playing for Stephen Beard, although the playing part may have been an exaggeration.
Friday, July 1, Rayong C.C. – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Yasuo Suzuki (11) 40pts
2nd Barry Winton (5) 38pts
3rd Tom McCarthy (20) 35pts
4th Shuichi Kodaka (16) 34pts
5th Mark Armstrong (26) 33pts
6th John Squitiero (18) 33pts
With many of the local courses designating the day as a holiday, which it was for some of the local banks, it was a very pleasant surprise to find the Rayong management had come up with a very well appreciated green fee of 350 baht, which allied to a 250 baht caddy fee, made it a very reasonable sum for a day’s golf over a quite an acceptable course.
Although the course was a little untidy in places the greens were true and flat and the general condition was very playable as the scores attested to in the final analysis. The management had also come up with a very good price for the golf carts which were priced at 400 baht for two people sharing and just 300 baht for a single player which added to the value for the day.
Yasuo Suzuki was once again found to be in sparkling form as he strolled round in four under handicap and ensuring a two shot drop for the ensuing week’s competitions on his way to yet another win, making it two and a close second in the week, and it was a pleasure for all to have the opportunity to have a couple of drinks on Yasuo at the post match celebrations during the week.
Barry Winton was again the runner-up after playing some very nice golf and taking just 35 gross to complete the back nine, finishing with a 75 gross and looking as if he will soon be back to his old form following his recent back operation.
Tom McCarthy also had another good round to add to his fine effort a couple of days earlier as he took third place ahead of Shuichi Kodaka by a single point.
Mark Armstrong was again in the mix as he slipped into fifth spot just in front of John Squitiero winning the count-back by 17 to 16.
Once again there were no 2’s in the second division but Yasuo Suzuki knocked one in to claim the first division which included a rollover.
Back at The Haven there was a welcome back for John Squitiero.
Note: As from the 1st of July the Haven group will depart Soi 13 at the earlier time of 9 am until further notice. If you would like to play with The Haven group you can contact mobile 084782 4582 or call in to the hotel at 185 Soi 13 between Beach Road and 2nd Road. All transportation to the course is arranged and you do not need to sign up prior to the day, but you should be there by 8.30 on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays and 9.00am on Sundays on the days you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
